Conversations With My Father
by angelus cado
Summary: *LJ Wishlist fic* Luke needs to figure out what's going on in his head, so he runs off to a remote planet to centre himself.  What he gets is a much-needed conversation with is father.  Oneshot.


**Title: **Conversations with my Father

**Fandom:** Star Wars

**Characters:** Luke, Vader

**Prompt: **Set after Empire, before Jedi. Luke decides that he's going to take advantage of some of his force abilities. Going to a descreet location-the easier to hide the Rebels-he decides he's going to do something that he never thought he would get to: have a talk with his father.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine, never was, never will be. No money being made from this – I am just a poor aspiring author working on a zombie hunter romance novel in my spare time.

**Notes:** First attempt at Star Wars (going to be a lot of firsts this month). Hope y'all like it! :)

Luke was all mixed up. He had a father? Well, he always knew he had a father, and that his name was Anakin Skywalker. But to find out that most of what he knew about his father had been a lie? That was a Tatooine-shattering revelation.

He had to get away from everyone, take some time to think and center himself. He was determined to learn from this, even if it was only a lesson in controlling his emotions and not letting the anger take over his entire being.

He found a small, out of the way planet that supported plant life and had some indigenous creatures, but no humanoid life. Perfect. It was even more remote than Malastaire, and nowhere near as marshy. It definitely didn't have any old, green Jedi masters who spoke in riddles.

He landed his X-Wing in the middle of a clearing and hopped out. R2-D2 descended from the droid port and began following him.

"Stay with the ship, R2," Luke said, pointing at the little astrodroid. The droid let out a few indignant beeps and boops, but stopped moving. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

Luke seemed to do his best thinking and meditating when he was balancing on something. As if it were made for him, he found a large fallen tree that appeared to be almost completely level. Clambering up on it, he stood, getting his balance, before he closed his eyes and focused inwards, clearing his mind.

It didn't take long before Luke was centered, focused inwards and his mind was devoid of distractions. He began reaching out with the Force, tentatively at first, growing more confident in his ability as he began sensing the things around him. He reached further, really stretching his senses, when something occurred to him.

Would he be able to contact someone on another planet, another system?

He didn't want to hope, but he definitely had to try. There was one person he wanted to talk to, now that he was removed from the situation and had a clearer head.

He needed answers.

Luke tried to stretch his his feelings even further. He nearly fell off his log when he felt /someone/ touch his thoughts.

Someone who knew his name.

"_Luke_."

"Who are you?" Luke didn't recognize the voice in his head. "How do you know my name."

"_I am Anakin Skywalker_."

The voice sounded nothing like Vader's. Higher-pitched. Younger sounding. Not mechanical and definitely human.

"You don't sound like Vader," Luke replied. "How do I know you're not trying to trick me?"

"_Trust your feelings, Luke_," Anakin said. "_You know it to be true_."

"What do you want?" Luke asked.

"_You tried to contact me,_" Anakin said. "_I should be asking you the same question_."

"I have some questions," Luke said.

"_I expected you might_," Anakin said. "_I never knew my father, and if I had met him I would have questions as well. You may ask me your questions, if you like_."

"You're just going to let me ask questions?" Luke asked.

"_If I do not want to answer them, I will tell you_," Anakin replied.

"Where should I start?" Luke asked, more to himself than to Vader. He refused to refer to him as Anakin or father in his mind – it was still too new, knowing who his father had become. He doubted he'd be able to ever refer to him as 'father', but he needed to know some things.

"_Perhaps_ _you should start at the beginning_," Anakin replied. "_The beginning is the best place to start._"

"Where were you born?" Luke asked.

"_You have not been lied to about this_," Anakin replied. "_I was born as a slave on Tatooine. My mother, your grandmother, was named Shmi Skywalker. When the Jedi found me, we were owned by a Toydarian named Watto._"

"How do you know all of this?" Luke asked. "I thought Jedi of your generation were taken from their families when they were very young."

"_I was different_," Anakin replied. "_Because Tatooine was not a part of the republic, the Jedi did not find me until a small contingent landed on Tatooine because the Queen of Naboo's ship was malfunctioning. Two Jedi came to Watto's junk shop to barter for parts. They brought with them a Gungan named Jar Jar Binks and who I thought was one of the Queen's handmaidens, Padme_."

"Who you _thought_ was one of the Queen's handmaidens?" Luke asked.

"_I'm getting to that_," Anakin replied with a bit of a chuckle. "_Your impatience reminds me of me. As it turns out, they couldn't use their credits to purchase parts. They ended up betting on a podrace that I was in. If I won, they got the parts they wanted, Watto got to keep the rest of the winnings and somehow I ended up as part of their deal. If I lost, Watto got the ship._"

"You won," Luke said.

"_Watto wasn't happy_," Anakin replied. "_He lost a good slave, one that was good with machines and was small enough to get into tight areas in the junkyard. My mother was getting older and she couldn't work as much, or do as many things. Not that it mattered much. Not long after the Jedi took me, Watto lost everything and had to sell my mother. She died a freed woman, and I will always appreciate Clegg Lars for doing that for her."_

"So Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are really my family?" Luke asked.

"_Owen was my stepbrother, yes_," Anakin replied.

"What about my mother?" Luke asked. He didn't know much about his mother, not even her name or where she was from.

"Your _mother was Padme, the beautiful handmaiden that had accompanied the Jedi_," Anakin replied. "_At least, I thought she was a handmaiden. I later found out that she was the Queen of Naboo in disguise. After I got initiated into the Jedi Order, I didn't see her again for another ten years. I was assigned as protection duty for Padme, now a Senator for Naboo. It was during that time when we fell in love_."

"I thought love and attachments weren't allowed in the Jedi Order," Luke said.

"_They were not_," Anakin replied. "_We had to meet in secret, keep our marriage quiet. Not even my old master knew. Not even Master Yoda knew._"

"What drew you to the Dark Side?" Luke asked.

"_I began having dreams_," Anakin replied. "_Dreams of your mother dying in childbirth. I had no one to turn to in the Jedi Order – to reveal my marriage would mean expulsion from the Order. Instead, I sought the help of a kindly senator, Palpatine."_

"Related to the Emperor?" Luke asked.

"_The same man_," Anakin replied. "_He found out about my marriage, found out about my dreams, and began poisoning my mind against the Jedi Order. I was young, I was weak, I wanted to keep Padme alive. I loved her. In some way, I still do. Palpatine made it so that I was completely reliant on him and his advice. I began to see conspiracies against me at every turn. I lost everything. My wife, my children, my freedom. I was born a slave to one master, and I will die a slave to another master_."

"I won't let that happen," Luke said. It was obvious to him that his father, in his own way, was trying to make amends, was trying to renounce the dark side in his own way. Even if his father had to die for the cause, he wouldn't die under the rule of the Emperor.

"_I must go_," Anakin said. "_It is dangerous for you to contact me this way. Palpatine is strong, he will sense you eventually. You must not contact me this way again_."

Before Luke could protest, say goodbye, do anything, the connection was severed. Resigned, he slowly brought himself out of his trance to be met with R2-D2 rolling his way, beeping and booping excitedly. When all this was over, he was going to have to find out more about his family, his mother and whether or not he had any siblings.

Things had just gotten very interesting.


End file.
